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Russian authorities say divers have explored an icy lake in search of fragments of the huge meteor that exploded above the Ural Mountains, but found nothing.

People in Russia's Chelyabinsk region panicked as the 10-ton meteor lit up the morning sky Friday and exploded with the force of at least 20 nuclear bombs.

The explosion unleashed a shock wave that blew out thousands of windows, damaged buildings and left more than 1,100 people injured. The Interior Ministry said most of the injuries were caused by flying glass.

The regional governor said the damage is estimated at $33 million.

The planetary science director at the U.S. space agency, NASA, says the event was an "exception."

Jim Green said Friday that "fireballs" of some kind happen on a daily basis, but most of them are not seen because they fall over the ocean or in remote areas.

The Russian Academy of Sciences says the meteor entered Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 54,000 kilometers per hour.

Its entry occurred just hours before an asteroid known as 2012 DA14 passed between Earth and some orbiting satellites.

NASA said the 45-meter-wide asteroid came as close as 27,000 kilometers above Earth.

A meteorite contrail is seen in this frame grab made from a video, on a highway from Kostanai, Kazakhstan, to Chelyabinsk region, Russia, provided by Nasha Gazeta newspaper. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia's Ural Mountains, causing sharp explosions and reportedly injuring more than 1,000 people, including many hurt by broken glass.

Athlete Oscar Pistorius weeps in court in Pretoria, South Africa, at his bail hearing in the murder case of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Indonesian narcotics police destroy 1.4 tons of seized marijuana from series of raids in Jakarta.

Riot police in a police vehicle look out of window grills in front of the courthouse and the Attorney General's office as demonstrators protest against Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood near Tahrir Square in Cairo.

Children walk on the Askia mausoleum, built in 1495 in Gao, northern Mali, one week after a suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed himself attempting to blow up an army checkpoint at the entrance of the town.

Libyan security forces check the cars on the side of the highway leading to downtown Benghazi.

A woman carries her daughter on her way to fetch water from a nearby tap in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan.

A worker puts the final touch to a train near a replica of Big Ben made with lemons and oranges during the 80th Lemon festival in Menton, France. Some 145 metric tons of lemons and oranges are used to make displays during the festival, which is themed 'Around The World In 80 Days', and runs from February 16 through March 6.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

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Diagnosing infections such as HIV requires expensive clinical tests, making the procedure too costly for many poor patients or those living in remote areas. But a new technology called lab-on-a-chip may make the tests more accessible to many. VOA’s George Putic reports.

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Afghan officials have expressed concern over reports of a crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan following the Peshawar school attack in December. Reports of mass arrests and police harassment coupled with fear of an uncertain future are making life difficult for a population that fled its homeland to escape war. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Islamabad.

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Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. Patrick Wells reports from Mariupol.

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As low oil prices and Western sanctions force Russia's economy into recession, thousands of Moscow restaurants are expected to close their doors. Restaurant owners face rents tied to foreign currency, while rising food prices mean Russians are spending less when they dine out. One entrepreneur in Moscow has started a dinner kit delivery service for those who want to cook at home to save money but not skimp on quality. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports.

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The United States and Cuba say they have made progress in the second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations more than 50 years after breaking off ties. Delegations from both sides met in Washington on Friday to work on opening embassies in Havana and Washington and iron out key obstacles to historic change. VOA’s Mary Alice Salinas reports from the State Department.

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One after another, presumptive Republican presidential contenders auditioned for conservative support this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington. The rhetoric was tough as a large field of potential candidates tried to woo conservative support with red-meat attacks on President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress. VOA Political Columnist Jim Malone takes a look.

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New Yorkers take pride in setting world trends — in fashion, the arts and fine dining. The city’s famous biannual Restaurant Week plays a significant role in a booming tourism industry that sustains 359,000 jobs and generates $61 billion in yearly revenue. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

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Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline, fracking and instability in the Middle East are driving debate in the U.S. about making America energy independent. Recently, the American Energy Innovation Council urged Congress and the White House to make expanded energy research a priority. One beneficiary of increased energy spending would be the Brookhaven National Lab, where clean, renewable, efficient energy is the goal. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports.

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There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.

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With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.

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A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates.